Photocrosslinkable polymers with side tricyclic imidyl groups

Abstract

Photo-crosslinkable, novel polymers with side tricyclic imidyl groups, for example those of the formula ##STR1## are described. The novel photo-crosslinkable polymers are suitable for photo-mechanical applications, for example for the production of printing plates for the offset printing process and especially as photo-resists. They have high UV absorption and ensure a high rate of crosslinking even without the addition of photosensitizers.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A photo-crosslinkable polymer, which has an average molecular weight between 1,000 and 1,000,000, as measured by inherent viscosity on a 0.5% by weight solution in N,N-dimethylformamide or chloroform, and which has side imidyl groups of the formula (I) ##STR44## in which R and R 1  independently of one another are hydrogen, halogen, alkyl having 1-4 C atoms or methoxy, A is --CH 2  --, --CH 2  CH 2  -- or --OCH 2  -- with the oxygen atom bonded to the aromatic ring and E is hydrogen, or A is --O-- and E is --CH 3 , the proportion of imidyl groups of the formula (I) being at least 5 percent, based on the number of recurring structural elements in the polymer, said polymer being a homopolymer or copolymer derived from monomers containing reactive C═C double bonds, wherein said polymer comprises (a) from 5 to 100 percent, based on recurring structural elements in the polymer chain, of molecular chain members selected from the group consisting of formulas (IV), (VI), (VII) and (X) to (XIV). ##STR45##  in which imidyl is a radical of the formula (I), Y is alkylene having 1-30 C atoms, or is interrupted by hetero-atoms, or is cycloalkylene having 5 or 6 C atoms, a dicyclohexylmethane radical, arylene having 6-10 C atoms, or aralkylene or alkylarylene having 7 or 8 C atoms, or said radicals Y being substituted, and Q 1  is hydrogen or methyl, R 2  ' is --OH or --O -  M + , M +  is an alkali metal cation, a pyridinium cation or a trialkylammonium cation having 3-24 C atoms, p is the number 1 or 2, q is an integer from 2 to 4, Z is --O--, --NH--, ##STR46## having 1-4 C atoms or --S--, Z 1  is --OCO--, --NH--, --N--alkyl having 1-4 C atoms, --O-- or --S-- and Z 2  is --O--, --S-- or --NH--, and   (b) from 95 to 0 percent, based on recurring structural elements in the polymer chain, of structural elements of the formula (XVI) ##STR47##  in which X 1  and X 3  are each hydrogen, X 2  is hydrogen, chlorine or methyl and X 4  is hydrogen, methyl, chlorine, --CN, --COOH, --CONH 2 , phenyl, methylphenyl, methoxyphenyl, cyclohexyl, pyridyl, imidazolyl, pyrrolidyl, --COO--alkyl having 1-12 C atoms in the alkyl moiety, --COO--phenyl, ##STR48##  --COO--alkyl--OH having 1-3 C atoms in the alkyl moiety, --OCO--alkyl having 1-4 C atoms in the alkyl, --OCO--phenyl, --CO--alkyl having 1-3 C atoms in the alkyl,alkoxy having 1-6 C atoms or phenoxy, or X 1  and X 2  are each hydrogen and X 3  and X 4  together are the grouping ##STR49##  or each are --COOH or --COO--alkyl having 1-6 C atoms in the alkyl.   
     
     
       2. A polymer according to claim 1, which contains imidyl groups of the formula I in which R and R 1  are each hydrogen, A is --CH 2  --, --CH 2  CH 2  -- or --OCH 2  -- with the oxygen atom bonded to the aromatic ring and E is hydrogen. 
     
     
       3. A polymer according to claim 1, in which the proportion of imidyl groups of the formula I is 20-100 percent, based on the number of recurring structural elements in the polymer. 
     
     
       4. A polymer according to claim 1, which contains structural elements of the formula XVI, in which X 1  and X 3  are each hydrogen, X 2  is hydrogen or methyl and X 4  is --OCOCH 3 , --COOH or --COO--alkyl having 1-8 C atoms in the alkyl, or in which X 1 , X 2  and X 3  are each hydrogen and X 4  is --CN, chlorine or phenyl. 
     
     
       5. A polymer according to claim 1, which contains recurring structural elements of the formulae IV, VI, VII, VIII, X, XII or XIV and can contain recurring structural elements of the formula XVI and in which, in the imidyl radical of the formula I, R and R 1  are each hydrogen, A is --CH 2  --, --CH 2  CH 2  -- or --OCH 2  -- with the oxygen atom bonded to the aromatic ring and E is hydrogen, Y is a straight-chain or branched alkylene having 2-11 C atoms, 1,3- or 1,4-phenylene or 1,4-cyclohexylene, Z is --O-- or --NH--, Z 1  is --OCO-- or --NH--, p is the number 1, Q 1  is methyl or in particular hydrogen and X 1  and X 3  are each hydrogen, X 2  is hydrogen or methyl and X 4  is --OCOCH 3 , --COOH or --COO--alkyl having 1-8 C atoms in the alkyl, or X 1 , X 2  and X.sub. 3 are each hydrogen and X 4  is --CN, chlorine or phenyl.